March 2023 Issue of the Crier

The March 2023 issue of the Crier is now available online. 
Please click the link below to view it:

March 2023 Crier

Public Comments Welcomed on the Draft FY 2024 Budget

The Chevy Chase Village Board of Managers held a work session on February 27 to review the proposed operating and capital budgets for the fiscal year that will begin on July 1, 2023 and end on June 30, 2024, as prepared by the Village Manager and staff. The Board will invite comments on the draft budget and tax rate during a public hearing at its regular meeting on Monday, March 13. The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. 
 
Copies of the budget summary and details are available on the Village website, and hard copies can be obtained at the Village office. Residents may submit written comments (c/o the Village office by email to ccv@montgomerycountymd.gov) in advance of the March 13 hearing.
 
Budget details, and the PowerPoint video recording of the Budget Work Session can be accessed by clicking on the below link: 

https://www.chevychasevillagemd.gov/401/Proposed-FY2024-Budget-CIP

A report from Board Treasurer Mr. Gary Crockett along with a summary of the proposed budget will be included in the April issue of the Crier. The Board’s second Public Hearing on the budget will be held during its Monday, April 10 meeting.  The FY2024 budget and tax rates will be adopted during the Village’s Annual Meeting, to be held on Monday, April 17.

2023 Board of Managers Election

Four Board seats will be up for election this spring.  The current Board members whose terms are expiring in June are Gary Crockett, Lou Morsberger, Linda Willard, and David Winstead.

Any Village resident may run for a seat on the Board provided he/she is a qualified voter in Montgomery County, has resided in Chevy Chase Village for at least one year prior to the election and files the required Certificate of Candidacy and Financial Disclosure Statement in proper form.  Board Members serve two-year, staggered terms.  If the number of qualified candidates equals the number of available seats, the candidates will be declared elected at the Annual Meeting on Monday, April 17, 2023 (the meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.).  If the number of candidates exceeds the number of available seats, a contested election will be conducted with ballots mailed to all registered voters.

The Village Election Supervisors oversee Village elections, including receiving nominations to serve on the Board of Managers.  Residents interested in running for a seat should please contact Election Supervisors Chair Mary Sheehan by email at msheehan246@aol.com so that the Elections Supervisors can begin to plan for the election.

To qualify as a candidate, an individual, including sitting Board members, must submit to the Village office a completed Certificate of Candidacy along with a Financial Disclosure Statement, at any time between February 15 and March 15. Upon receiving both completed forms, the Village Manager will submit the Financial Disclosure Statement to the Village Ethics Commission, which will review the form within 10 days of filing for compliance with the provisions of the Public Ethics Code.  Please note, however, that candidates are not certified to appear on the ballot until the Certificate of Candidacy and Financial Disclosure Statement have been reviewed and determined to be filed in proper form.

Certificate of Candidacy and Financial Disclosure Statement forms are available at the Village office, or by email request to the Village Manager, Shana Davis-Cook, at shana.davis-cook@montgomerycountymd.gov, or on the Village website by clicking on “Board of Managers Elections” under Quick Links on the homepage. Residents may also visit this page for more information regarding Board elections and an explanation of the Board’s duties and responsibilities.

Community Meetings on Future 
Bethesda Market Park Development 

Montgomery Parks will host two in-person community meetings to present initial concepts and solicit public input on future Bethesda Market Park development. When completed, Bethesda Market Park and the adjacent Elm Street Urban Park will provide approximately four acres of park and green space in downtown Bethesda. The new park will be adjacent to the historic Bethesda Farm Women’s Market.

Each community meeting (see below) will present the same information. 

• Wednesday, March 15, 6:30-8:30 pm, Jane E Lawton Community Recreation Center social hall, 4301 Willow Lane, Chevy Chase, MD 20815
• Thursday, March 16, 7:-9 pm, Bethesda Elementary School all-purpose room, 7600 Arlington Road, Bethesda, MD 20814 

Meeting registration is optional, but you can register here if you want to receive updates on the project.

Public Hearing on Planning Board's Draft of 
the County's Proposed Pedestrian Master Plan

Thursday, March 23 at the Planning Board Headquarters in Wheaton

The county’s Planning Board has released the Pedestrian Master Plan Public Hearing Draft and associated public hearing date.

The Pedestrian Master Plan is the first countywide plan in Montgomery County to make recommendations to improve the pedestrian experience in a holistic way. An important element in the county’s 2017 Vision Zero Action Plan and 2021 Climate Action Plan, the Pedestrian Master Plan supports the Thrive Montgomery 2050 goal to “develop a safe, comfortable and appealing network for walking, biking and rolling.” The plan documents the pedestrian experience in Montgomery County today and makes recommendations in line with national and international best practices to improve the pedestrian experience, from more and better places to cross the street to a data-driven, equity-focused approach for the county's future pedestrian/bicycle capital investments.

The Planning Board’s public hearing will be held on Thursday, March 23, 2023, in the Auditorium of the Wheaton Headquarters Building at 2425 Reedie Drive, Wheaton, MD. To check the approximate hearing time, or to sign up to testify, go to https://montgomeryplanningboard.org/agendas/. There is also an option to join the public hearing virtually with online streaming and public testimony. Online access can be found at the following link: https://montgomeryplanningboard.org/meetings/watch-online/.

Read the Public Hearing Draft at www.montgomeryplanning.org/walkinghere.

Historic Preservation Tax Credit

Village property owners who, during calendar year 2022, performed repairs, restoration, or preservation of exterior features on homes located within the Chevy Chase Village Historic District or on homes individually designated as a historic site may be eligible for both County and State historic preservation tax credits, but applicants must apply before April 1, 2023.

For more information about the Montgomery Planning Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program, visit their website: https://montgomeryplanning.org/planning/historic/tax-credit-program/

Impacts of the May 11, 2023 End to the
National COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declaration

On January 30, 2023, the Biden Administration announced it will end the COVID-19 public health emergency (and national emergency) declarations on May 11, 2023.  

The US Department of Health & Human Services has issued a Fact Sheet outlining the effects of this announcement.  CLICK HERE to view the guidance.

Access to COVID-19 Test Kits and N-95 Masks; 
 Vaccine Access & Information

In partnership with Montgomery County, the Village continues to provide COVID-19 rapid (antigen) test kits and N-95 masks at no charge.  Test kits are available at the Village Hall with a limit of two (2) boxes per person, per visit while supplies last.  

Residents can also obtain free rapid test kits at county libraries during regular operating hours. The nearest is the Chevy Chase Library, located at 8005 Connecticut Avenue, or go online to view the complete list of county library locations.  

For those who may prefer to receive them by mail, test kits are available to be delivered to your home by USPS through the federal distribution program by visiting https://www.covid.gov/tests or calling 1-800-232-0233 (limit one shipment per household).

The CDC recommends everyone stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and bivalent boosters for their age group:

1. Children and teens aged 6 months–17 years
2. Adults aged 18 years and older
3. People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised have different recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines.

To find COVID-19 vaccine locations, visit the  Maryland Department of Health website, or call 1-855-MDGOVAX (1-855-634-6829).   To view available testing sites in the county (government operated and private), visit: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/testing.html.

Montgomery County Launches 
Durable Medical Equipment Reuse Program

Do you have medical equipment such as wheelchairs, hospital beds, patient (Hoyer) lifts, shower seats and grab bars that you or someone you know are no longer using?  Are you in need of this kind of equipment on a temporary or long-term basis? 

 Montgomery County has launched a new durable medical equipment reuse program.  Equipment can bedropped off at the county’s processing facility and transfer station at 16101 Frederick Road in Derwood.  Residents in need may request durable medical equipment through the Maryland Durable Medical Equipment Re-Use program.

 For more information visit the county’s Durable Medical Equipment webpage or call 311.

RainScapes Program Rebates

RainScapes is a landscape or design technique that helps reduce stormwater runoff from individual properties. From February 1 through March 31, the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection will accept online applications for rebates of up to $7,500 for RainScapes projects on residential properties .

Visit RainScapes.org for more information about the program and help in selecting and planning a project. Also see the FAQ page.

NOTE: Stormwater management projects on private property require a Building Permit from the Village.  If you are planning a project, please contact the Village at ccvpermitting@montgomerycountymd.gov for more information.

United States Postal Service 
Issues Guidance to Prevent Mail Theft

In response to ongoing incidents of mail theft in our region, the United states Postal Service (USPS) has issued guidance to assist customers in protecting their mail from thieves.  

Click on the following link to view this latest guidance: Protecting Your Mail

Help Village Staff Keep the Community Safe and Beautiful

Report Areas for Repair and Maintenance

Village staff prides itself on being responsive and working hard to ensure that the Village remains a safe, beautiful and welcoming community—but we cannot do it alone. While we are constantly on the lookout for areas that need to be addressed, we need the support of residents serving as our eyes and ears throughout the community:
 
Sidewalk Repairs
The Village maintains brick paver sidewalks throughout the community. The brick pavers are not mortared and are set on a bluestone base to allow the sidewalks to gradually move as adjacent tree roots grow.  Compared to the former concrete sidewalks, the dry-laid brick pavers are much easier for Public Works staff to repair by removing and resetting sections that have shifted.  This is ongoing maintenance that our crews perform throughout the year as trip hazards are identified by staff or are brought to our attention by residents.
  
Tree Maintenance
There are well over 2,500 “public” trees located within Village parks, greenspaces and public right-of-way.  The Village’s consulting Arborist and our Director of Public Works perform routine assessments for tree maintenance needs including areas for pruning, removals or treatments to improve a tree’s health.  These assessments supplement our ongoing response to observations made by staff and residents.
  
How to Report an Issue or Concern
Residents can use the Village’s online form system to report any number of issues or concerns, by visiting: https://www.chevychasevillagemd.gov/RequestTracker.aspx. From this page, residents can report sidewalk trip hazards and streetlight outages, and request public tree maintenance and recycling toters. 
 
As always, residents may also call the Village’s 24-hour Communications Center or email uests/concerns to the Village’s main email address at ccv@montgomerycountymd.gov (emails are then routed to the appropriate department).
 
Thank you for helping us to continue addressing the needs of the community! 

Join the Village Listserv on Groups.io

CCVillage (CCVillage@Groups.io), is the neighborhood mailing list (listserv) for residents of Chevy Chase Village.  CCVillage is a resource to allow neighbors to stay connected with one another other.  Click for more information and to join the listserv.